Netflix’s live-action reimagining of the beloved and award-winning Avatar: The Last Airbender continues to pick up steam with many of the roles already being cast. Not only has the core cast of young characters been found, but a number of fan favorite side characters as well.
It seems that Netflix may be taking an unexpected approach to the story of Avatar: The Last Airbender. We at The Illuminedi broke the news that Avatar: The Last Airbender was looking to cast Azula and Fire Lord Ozai. Daniel Dae Kim has been cast as Fire Lord Ozai and Elizabeth has been cast as Azula, but what is interesting about this is neither of these characters are a major part of the first season in the original animated series.
Two other characters that were recently revealed to be a part of the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender series are also a bit of a surprise given they aren’t a part of the animated series until later seasons. Avatar News recently broke the news that Mai and Ty Lee will be a part of the first season of Netflix’s live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender. After learning this we at The Illuminerdi did a bit of digging and discovered character descriptions for both Mai and Ty Lee.
NEW CHARACTER DESCRIPTIONS FOR MAI AND TY LEE IN NETFLIX’S LIVE-ACTION AVATAR: THE LAST AIRBENDER
It looks like Netflix is looking to cast a woman around 15-years old and of East Asian heritage to play Mai in the Avatar: The Last Airbender adaptation. Mai is described as the courteous daughter of a politician and she attends a private school for the children of nobility. Mai is a brooding teenager who finds her guarded affluent life tedious. Mai rarely shows her emotions and can be quite deadpan. She finds a way to express her frustration through knife throwing and becomes incredibly skilled with weaponry. Mai is described as a recurring guest performer.
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Netflix is also looking to cast a woman around 14-years old and of East Asian heritage to play Ty Lee. Ty Lee is also a student at the private school for children of nobility. Ty Lee is described as cheerful, bubbly, and athletic. She is an adept acrobat and gymnast who is frequently seen stretching or doing handstands during conversations. Ty Lee is generally the most optimistic of her group of friends which is tied to her strong yearning to be liked. Ty Lee is described as a recurring guest performer.
In the animated series Mai and Ty Lee are close friends with Azula, or as close as they can be given Azula’s unstable state. It’s also worth noting that in the animated series Mai and Zuko begin dating in later seasons as well. Both Mai and Azula are intriguing characters and with how close they are to Azula it is interesting that they will be a part of the live-action Avatar: The Last Airbender this early in the story. Perhaps the inclusion of these characters will bring out the vulnerability in Azula as well as Zuko earlier than expected given their close relationships with the Fire Nation royal siblings.
How exactly Mai and Ty Lee will play into the live-action The Last Airbender is still a mystery, but it seems to point to a more prominent role for Azula than may have otherwise been expected. There is also the possibility that they will be included in flashbacks of Zuko from before he was banished and began his search for the Avatar, given the fact that he has known them since he was a child. It will be intriguing to see how this live-action reimagining of Avatar: The Last Airbender plays out, especially with some characters seeming to come into the story earlier than expected.
Are you excited for the live-action Netflix reimagining of Avatar: The Last Airbender? How do you think Azula, Mai, and Ty Lee will play into the first season of Avatar: The Last Airbender? What do you think about the character descriptions of Mai and Ty Lee? Leave your thoughts in the comments below or on our social media and check back with The Illuminerdi for more Avatar: The Last Airbender.
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